Nationalism

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  • nationalism
    • origins and development
      • born during FR
      • enthusiasm for the movement came from MC who wanted national unity and constitutional government
      • came to stand for social cohesion, order and stability  in growing challenge of socialism
        • sought to integrate the increasingly powerful WC into the nation to preserve traditional social structure
      • patriotic fever was celebrated by commemoration of past national glories
        • caused chauvinism and xenophobia, with each nation claiming superiority and seeing others as alien and enemies , intensifying colonial expansion
          • contributed to international rivalry, leading to WWI
            • Woodrow Wilson at Paris Peace Conference advocated concept of self determination
      • national uprisings took place in colonial countries wanting national liberation
    • core themes
      • the nation
        • nation should be the central principle of political organisation
        • nations are cultural entities: groups of people bound together by shared values and traditions
          • common language, religion, history and geographical area
        • language is key to nationhood: embodies distinctive values and forms familiarity and belonging
          • however different nations have same language e.g. UK and US
          • some nations don't have a national language e.g. Switzerland
        • religion is also key: expresses common morals
          • Northern Ireland: same language divided by religion
          • countries with same faith aren't same nation e.g. Brazil, Poland and Italy are predominantly Catholic but not one nation
        • can be based on ethnic or racial unity e.g. Nazi regime
        • nationalism usually more culturally based than biologically
          • e.g. nationalism of US blacks is based on history and culture not ethnicity
        • preserved by recalling past glories, birthdays of national leaders
        • features can be based on future expectations
        • only be defined subjectively by members not external factors
        • a psycho-political entity: groups of people who consider themselves  as natural  political community, distinguished by shared loyalty or affection in form of patriotism
          • objective difficulties such as small population or lack of resources are of little significance when people are insisting on national rights
        • blend of cultural and psycho-political factors
          • held together by primordial bonds
        • civil nationalism: importance of civil consciousness and patriotic loyalty
      • organic society
        • naturally divided into collection of nations
          • national ties and loyalties found in all communities
        • primoridalist approach: national identity is historically embedded-common cultural heritage that can predate independence or statehood
          • Anthony smith 1989-stresses continuity between modern and pre-modern ethnic communities
          • modern nations are updated versions of immemorial ethnic communities
        • modernist approach: national identity is forced in response to changing situations and historical challenges
          • Ernest Gellner 1983- nationalism is linked to modernisation, especially industrialisation, emerging societies promoted social mobility, self-striving and competition
          • national community is deep rooted and enduring
          • Benedict Anderson 1983-emergence of capitalism and modern mass communications has formed nations in form of 'imagined community'
        • constructivist approach: national identity is an ideological construct serving interests of large powerful groups
          • Eric Hobsbawn 1983- nations are based on invented traditions. nationalism creates nations not the other way round- been a controlling device for RC to reduce risk of class rebellion by ensuring national loyalty is stronger than class solidarity
      • self-determination
        • popular sovereignty, expressing idea of general will
          • sovereign power rests with the nation
        • nation is a natural political community
        • national identity is based upon desire for people to attain/maintain political independence, expressed through national self-determination
        • unification: collection of separate political entities sharing cultural characteristics are integrated into a single state
        • can be created by independence from foreign rule e.g. Poland
        • nation state is most desirable form of political organisation and only viable political unit
          • offers both cultural cohesion and political unity: when people can self-govern then nationality and citizenship coincide
          • nationalism acts to legitimise authority of government as they act in national interest
        • can be federalism or devolution, doesn't always have to be separatism
      • culturalism
        • some forms are related to ethno-cultural aspirations and demands
        • cultural nationalism: emphasises the strengthening or defence of cultural identity
          • bottom-up: draws on popular rituals, traditions and legends rather than an elite 'higher' culture
          • can help modernisation, gives people a means of 'recreating' a nation
          • John Herder is architect of cultural nationalism
            • Herder, Fichte and Jahn all believed in superiority of German culture
            • Herder: each nation possesses a 'Volksgeist' (spirit of the people) which is revealed in songs, myths, legends- providing nation with source of creativity
        • want to regenerate the nation as a distinctive civilisation
        • political nationalism is rational and principled, cultural nationalism is 'mystical' and based on romantic belief in nation as unique history and organic whole
          • Rousseau is father of political nationalism
        • role of nation is to develop an awareness and appreciation of traditions and memories rather than have political aim of statehood
        • endorsed by black panthers and Nation of Islam with'black nationalism'
        • cultural forms of nationalism are seen as tolerant and consistent with progressive political goal- differing from ethnic nationalism
        • ethnicity refers to loyalty towards a distinctive population, cultural group or territory
          • ethnic groups suggest united by blood- impossible to join ethnic groups
            • ethnic nationalism is exclusive and linked to racialism
              • cultural and ethnic forms are viewed as related- 'ethnocultural nationalism'
        • associated with assimilation and cultural 'purity' making it incompatible with multiculturalism
        • can cause chavinistic or hostile behaviour to other nations or minorities- fuelled by pride and fear

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